Dealing with Nightmares
by ancient midnight
Summary: Gru wakes up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat. Something's not right in his home. What could it possibly be? a kidnapper? a superhero? burglars? Maybe it's just him, but then why can't he go back to sleep?
1. Chapter 1

Alright warnings. . . first time doing a Russian accent. Thanks to all the other FF writers for dispicable me, as I used your work as reference.

Disclaimer: I do not own Dispicable Me, but there is probably going to be a number II!

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Gru woke up too early in the morning, heart in his throat and goose bumps raising the hairs on his neck. Body tensed and alert, his dark eyes darting around the room as his heart pounded in his throat. Pale moonlight stretched across his blanket.

It must have been nothing. No kidnapper coming for the girls. No burglar stealing his weapons. So what woke him up?

Gru checked his alarm nervously but there was nothing on the advanced security system.

When he had first started his villainy pursuits, Gru had been robbed then and again. He would wake up in the middle of the night and have to . . . deal with the deviant criminals in his own way. They were very useful in testing and retesting the parameters Gru had designed to keep such visitors out.

As his name became more well known, and as Gru's protection evolved into a stronger force not many criminals were willing to go against. But Gru also ensured that the challenge to get past his safeguards was not too tantalizing for the die hard thrill-seekers and daredevils that ran amongst his kind. Mainly keeping his advanced security quiet and secret kept most people away.

But that didn't answer the feeling Gru had in the pit of his stomach. It squished and tingled until Gru couldn't stay in bed any longer and had to grab his housecoat. He wasn't quite sure where he was going, but he was getting out of this room.

The light in the girl's room was on. There were hints of whispers from within. Gru stopped just outside the door to peer in. Agnes was sleeping sprawled across her bomb-bed, Margo and Edith were sitting on her bed whispering back and forth quiet enough to not be heard three feet away.

The girls were very independant Gru knew. He just watched.

Edith appeared to have been crying and her shirt and hair were all wet. Margo held her in a tight hug and expertly rubbed her back in large circles. Edith whispered something new, and Gru watched as Margo tutted and shook her head before a fresh flood of tears came upon them. Gru watched in alarm a second longer, as Edith sobbed harder, clutching her blanket and her sister closer while Margo unsuccessfully fought back a yawn over her shoulder.

The girls were wholly focused on being completely soundless so naturally they both jumped when there was a soft knock on their door. They both landed on their feet turning to the door in speed that shouldn't be used this early in the morning. Unless you are working on a heist, but certainly not by little girls before 7 AM. Gru had the sense to feel embarrassed as they blinked at him from the light of the room, after all he must look different in a housecoat than what they were used to.

"Hey," he muttered, an eye ensuring his last little kitten stayed asleep. He gestured them out to the hall. They could talk downstairs in the kitchen.

Gru watched them stumble out of their room and waited quietly for their eyes to adjust to the darkness out in the hall while they shivered. It was cold up here, Gru led them downstairs knowing the kitchen was much warmer and always had warm milk this time at night. Usually it was for the minions but Gru supposed it was possible to help little girls with warm milk too.

Edith sniffled a little as they went, trying unsuccessfully to clean up her face with the sleeve of her pajamas. Entering the kitchen Gru emmiediately set out to find her a cloth. Margo smiled and cleaned up her sister.

Handing them both a glass of milk, Gru took in the girls' appearance. Edith's eyes were puffy and her cloths were sticking to her in a way that looked very uncomfortable, but she did not look sick or ill. Margo looked like she was asleep, with her head down on the table.

"What happened?" Gru asked still unsure. Margo sat up to look at him.

"A nightmare. How'd you know?"

"I'm a veellain. I know when sometheeng 'snot right. I wake up an feel restless."

"Oh," The girl's chorused.

"Do you maybe want to talk about eet?"

"Okay," Edith said.

"All right. Let's talk," Gru said nervously, it did not escape his attention that his eldest was still half asleep. "Do you get de nightmares often?"

"Sometimes, but Agnus gets them more often," She assured him swinging her feet. It was alright to have nightmares, so long as she wasn't the only or worst one getting them.

"Oh," Gru scratched his head, "Why deed you not tell me?"

"It's not that often."

"What are your nightmares about?" Gru asked hesitantly, he wasn't entirely sure if he should ask that question. Sometimes it was easier to just move on.

Edith gave him a dark look, "Gru! That's personal!"

"Okay, okay. I will not ask again," Gru assured her hands raised. Pinching his nose, Gru sighed.

"Thanks for the milk," Margo said, fiddling with her cup.

"Why don't you head to bed Margo, I'll be takeeng care of Edith."

The sisters shared a look. They were used to one another helping themselves out, but Gru could see the little cogs turning in their heads. With Margo Edith felt completely comforted, she knew exactly what to do and what to say to make the fears go away. Gru was different. He was new to taking care of little girls and might not help them.

But Gru took care of them and had promised to never let them go again.

Margo sighed decidedly, they had come to a conclusion on what to do. They both slid off their stools. Margo hoisted Edith up and deposited her sister on his lap on her way out of the kitchen.

"Come, I'll show you how I deal with fears," Gru stood up, and began towards his living room.

Edith held on tighter as he went in his elevator. It was even colder down here and Gru had to order a minion to retrieve a jacket, and some shoes. Edith only giggled when he slid his old trench coat on her, and a pair of Dr. Nefario's boots. Gru carried her past his usual office. The room they were going to was the deepest in the entire house, it had to be for the soundproofing system to fully operate.

"Where are we going?" Edith finally asked, sounding like the 7 year old she was.

"A very special place, Keettin."

Edith stretched to see around the empty white room. Gru finally put her down and activated the target system. The line of targets sprang up from the floor, while the wall flipped to reveal Gru's massive armoury. It took only seconds to find something small enough for the hat-clad kid to use.

"Thees ees how I deal with nightmares."

The end!


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: If I owned Despicable Me, it would have turned into a series on television.

This is the shortest chapter I have ever written, but I seem to have reached all the points I want to.

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Edith was so excited to be playing with one of her father's toys, she seemed to have completely forgotten about her nightmare. Gru couldn't help but chuckle as his middle child seemed to be content hitting anything but the targets, and happily or even mischievously, aimed for the roof to watch the colourful sparks and fireworks dance around. Well at least she was holding the ray gun right. Gru didn't say anything to her about her nightmares until they ran out of ammunition and had to reload.

Once the last of the sparks fell down to the floor, Edith sighed sadly.

"Eees der sometheeng the matter, Edith? Maybe there is something I can do to help," Gru spoke softly.

"I don't know if there is anything. . . you know, that you could do," Edith adjusted her hat a little better.

"I am a veellain, of course dere is sometheeng I can do," Gru laughed.

"but. . . what if you can't do something?" Edith peered up at him nervously.

Gru tried to think of such a thing, was there a situation where being a villain didn't help? If he couldn't think of one, there probably wasn't.

"I can not theenk of any such problem we might have. I am sure I can help."

Edith touched one of the biggest weapons on the table, Gru would bet his lair she was thinking of using it.

"I had a nightmare that a hero came by and took you away. And there was nothing you could do about it, you were just carted off to prison and left there all alone! And we waited and waited. . . and it wasn't cool," Edith pouted. "If you aren't here, we'll have to go back to Miss Hatties and we'll probably get separated this time! so even when you get out, you'll never find all of us! You'll probably find me, but Margo would be taken to some genius orphanage for like, the top researchers of the world, and- and Agnus would probably be adopted by then, with a changed name! She has gotten offers you know! Even if most people think 'Agnus' is too old fashioned, they like the baby underneath!"

Gru let her take a moment to calm down and kept his hands in the air. When she seemed to be listening again, he picked her up. Trying to decide what to say to this, which problem to address first.

Edith put her head on his shoulder and Gru was reminded of just how small they were. Really he could never get used to it. His girls were tiny delicate kittens.

When he found his voice again, Gru began to explain to her, "Well first of all let me assure you that no hero can get passed my security. Many have tried and no one has succeeded," he wasn't looking at her, so Edith couldn't see how uncomfortable he was talking about heros. "And even if I did get arrested, I would probably not even make eet to the cell. I have plans een place een case I am arrested. If I do make eet to the actual prison, I have a lot of experience breakeeng out of der too. So my arrest is highly improbable. My capture nearly out of the question."

Gru took a moment to see if she was still listening. She blinked up at him, keeping her head on his shoulder.

"On the thought of you going back to dat place, I have in place certain assurances to keep you out of dere too. I have erased your records, I have secured several people to be your gaurdians een case of eeenjury or-design," Gru caught himself just in time to avoid the 'death' part of his back-up plans. "So dat is not possible, but let me assure you dat I would not be put off my search with such easy tricks. I would track you down, each of my gurls unteel we were all home."

Edith smiled and tried to give him a hug, her tiny arms not even reaching halfway. Gru chuckled before lifting her up and giving her a big hug. Nearly getting choked for his effort with Edith giggling at his sputtering.

"Alright," Edith told him.

"Alright," Gru agreed.

Gru couldn't help the smirk on his face as she tried to lift the huge ray gun off the table. She seemed to be trying to use his own arm for leverage, Gru was happy to try it. After a few tries, and no movement what-so-ever, she got an idea.

"Alright! Now help me shoot this thing . . . please!" Edith grinned. Her cheeky self was back with a vengeance. Gru picked up the heavy equipment easily.

Holding the gun out of her reach, Gru added, "Alright, but just once then we weell be goeeng upstairs for breakfast!"

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